20-strong team features familiar names from the comedy circuit

Saturday Night Live has announced the full writing team for its UK edition – with a mammoth 20 names, many of them familiar from the comedy circuit. 

The team is led by previously announced head writer, Jonno Johnson, with comedy writer and journalist Charlie Skelton taking control of the  Weekend Update topical section. He has previously been script editor on shows including Channel 4's 10 O'Clock Live and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order for BBC Two.

The other writers are:

Al Roberts: One third of sketch group Sheeps – alongside Johnson – and best known for Stath Lets Flats and Starstruck. He has appeared in Man Like Mobeen, Everyone Else Burns, This Is Going To Hurt, Industry and more.

Ayo Adenekan: A stand-up comedian and joint winner of best newcomer at the ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2025 and won the Bestie Award for Emerging Talent. He was also a BBC New Comedy Award finalist in 2025.

Bella Hull: A stand‑up comedian and writer who has appeared on Have I Got News For You, Stand Up For Live Comedy, The Stand Up Sketch Show, and Comedy Central. She has taken three shows to Edinburgh, including 2025’s Doctors Hate Her.

Celya AB: A stand-up comedian originally from Paris. She has written for The Great British Sewing Bee, Channel 4 and Comedy Central, as well as James Acaster’s Springleaf. She won Chortle Best Newcomer in 2022 and was a Funny Women finalist. She is a regular writer on various radio shows and has appeared on Live At The Apollo and The News Quiz.  

Chris Cantrill: A three 3-time Edinburgh Comedy Award–nominated comedian, writer and actor. He co‑created and stars in BBC Radio 4’s Icklewick FM. He is one half of double act The Delightful Sausage, alongside Amy Gledhill,  with panel, radio and TV credits across BBC and Channel 4.

Ellie Fulcher: A writer and facilitator from South-East London. She worked at the Royal Court Theatre with a range of writers to support their development. Ellie won the Overheard podcast competition hosted by Soho Theatre  with The Ballad Of A Virgin Who Can’t Drive in 2021, and also had a dramaturg role on Soho Theatre’s Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x).

Gráinne Maguire:  Irish writer and stand-up. Her credits include The Last Leg, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Late Night Mash, the Baftas and MTV Awards. She has had multiple TV and radio appearances including Dave’s UnSpun with Matt Forde, Comedy Central’s Alternative Comedy Experience , Radio 4’s The Now Show, An Idiot’s Guide, Breaking The News and Radio 2’s What If?

Hari Kanth: Hari is a writer and improviser. He has written for Horrible Science and The Now Show. His first sitcom script, Kothu, was a winner of the British Comedy Guide's Spring Sitcom Selection and earned him a place on Andy Riley's mentoring scheme.

Humphrey Ker: An actor, comedian, writer and the community director of Wrexham football club, featured in the award-winning documentary series Welcome To Wrexham. He won the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer and has appeared on Have I Got News For You, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Whose Line Is It Anyway as well as hosted Sketchorama.

James Farmer: A Welsh writer and performer whose writing credits include Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, The Last Leg, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Last One Laughing, Roast Battle and Michael McIntyre's Big Show.

Joseph Moore: New Zealand-born comedian, writer and director known for Taskmaster NZ/Australia and Guy Montgomery’s Guy-Mont Spelling Bee. He is one half of Two Hearts musical comedy dup with his real-life partner  Laura Daniel.

Keith Akushie: An executive producer and writer on HBO’s The Franchise. He began his TV career on Channel 4’s Fresh Meat. His BBC3 Three series Siblings ran for two seasons. H He has produced, written and directed extensively across TV and film, including co-writing The Festival.

Laura Claxton: Laura has written for Never Mind The Buzzcocks, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Have I Got News For You and others She also has experience in chat shows, reality TV and scripted comedy, and is currently working on a commission with Fudge Park Productions.

Lorna Rose Treen: A comedian, writer and actor winner of the Funny Women Stage Award, Chortle best newcomer, and Dave’s Best Joke. She co‑wrote BBC Radio 4’s Time Of The Week and has a strong online presence with millions of views.

Louis Waymouth: Louis is best known for his work on The Late Late Show with James Corden, and has written on The Armstrong and Miller Show, Psychobitches, Me and My Monsters, and the Grammy Awards. He co‑created Knighthood & Decoy.

Nathan Foad: Nathan is a comedy writer and actor best known for creating, writing and executive producing Newark, Newark. He starred in HBO’s Our Flag Means Death and has written for a wide range of BBC and streaming projects.

Omar Badawy: A comedian and satirist originally from Egypt. He began stand-up in 2019 and won the So You Think You’re Funny? award in his first year. 

Omodara Olatunji: A writer and performer who has been active on the stand‑up circuit for two years. Her writing credits include ITV’s sketch show Say! Less!

Jonno Johnson,  said: ‘The number of funny, talented writers we have got to work on SNL UK is ludicrous. Some of them have been doing this for years, some of them it’s their first ever writing job. All of them make me giddy to come to work each day. Could not imaginably feel luckier that we get to make this show together.’

And Sky’s Phil Edgar Jones added: ‘As SNL UK races towards launch our brilliant team of writers are already hard at work crafting some sublime and (importantly) funny sketches for our equally brilliant cast to perform. 

‘I’ve been lucky enough to attend a couple of table reads and I am delighted to report I cried laughing. We cannot wait to share the fun with a wider audience.’

Today, The Sun newspaper reported that Tina Fey – a former head writer of the original SNL – was being lined up to host the first British episode, when it airs on Sky and streaming service Now on March 21.

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Published: 2 Mar 2026